‘My life’s in danger now. I can’t defend myself, I can’t defend you’

“You can’t suspend someone’s constitutional rights [for blogging],” said Mike Palmer, who is bringing forth the legal action. “Everybody in America blogs or Twitters, so it’s a First and Second Amendment issue.”

An Arizona man has filed a federal lawsuit against some of the state’s top judges, claiming they’re taking away his freedom of speech and right to own firearms, all because someone didn’t like what he wrote on his blog.

The scenario started when Palmer, a 55-year-old Christian missionary from Phoenix, was online discussing “spiritual death” often referred to in the Bible.

But, according to the suit, a woman from Prescott, Ariz., Melody Thomas-Morgan, complained to authorities that Palmer was threatening her with “death,” keeping that word in quotes in her legal filings.

Palmer explains, “It is true that the blog,‘That Woman Jezebel,’talks about spiritual life and spiritual death. … Spiritual ‘death’ as in ‘The wages of sin is death.’ (Romans 6:23) … It is not true that the blog ever mentions the ‘death’ of Miss Thomas-Morgan.”

Judge Kenton Jones

Kenton Jones, superior court judge for Yavapai County, went along with the woman’s harassment complaint and ordered Palmer to surrender his guns.

“The order says that I am not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition, and directs me to turn over any weapons to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office,” Palmer told WND.

Palmer indicated he does not own any weapons at this time, but when pressed on whether he had any guns previous to the order, he said, “No comment.”

“I certainly want my gun rights,” he added. “There is no law in Arizona which allows the courts to suspend any constitutional right, but in this instance, my Second Amendment right. And, of course, my life’s in danger now. I can’t defend myself, I can’t defend you. I can’t defend my fellow man.”

Palmer’s suit is seeking a restraining order that would grant him back his constitutional rights.

He wonders if the Christian nature of his blogging has anything to do with the action taken against him.

“Being a Christian seems to make me fair game,” he said. “I bet if I were Muslim and writing about physical beheading on a blog, no judge would dare touch me with an injunction. Ironic.”

Not only is Justice Jones named as a defendant in Palmer’s suit, so are five other jurists on the state supreme court, including Chief Justice Rebecca White Berch.

In fact, Palmer has set up a blog calledMichael’s Lawin honor of the Roth case to tell his own story.

Quartzsite Councilman Joe Winslow lists reasons he sought a restraining order against resident Michael Roth, claiming his entrance to town hall was blocked and that he was called a synonym for dog feces.

Winslow told Karen Slaughter, the elected justice of the peace for the region, what he wanted was that Roth and others with similar views “not be allowed to walk around armed. To me, I’m not a psychologist or psychiatrist, but I have been diagnosed with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) … that’s what I’m concerned with, that he’s gonna get so far into my personal space that I’m gonna react without thinking. I’m not making threats or anything like that. I’m not proud of that, but it’s the way I am.”

“I know that I’m 71 years old,” Winslow said. “I don’t want to be a statistic, I don’t want to go to jail and I don’t want to go in the hospital. But based on my history of 24 years in the service, I am more concerned about my reaction to his aggression than anything else, especially now that I believe that he is carrying a handgun. His actions have demonstrated in the past to me that he is not in full control of his emotions.”

After WND’s coverage of Roth’s case, Judge Slaughter eventually reversed her decision on the weapons ban, but Roth says she refused to dismiss his attorney fees.

Watchwoman on the Wall

by Donna Calvin

Shouting from the rooftops, proclaiming warning to a sleeping nation, Donna offers her unique perspective on current events

Disclaimer

Some items on Beliefnet may not reflect the views of Doers of the Word Church, Pastor Ernie Sanders, and “What’s Right, What’s Left, the Voice of the Christian Resistance,” all of whom promote this Watchwoman on the Wall blog on their web site < www.WRWL.org> and radio program. The Bible-based, conservative call-in talk radio program can be heard 10 PM-12 midnight, M-F on Salem Christian Radio Network, Cleveland’s powerful 50,000 watt radio station on the dial at 1220 AM & 1440 AM – and over the Internet worldwide at www.WRWL.org. Donna Calvin is a frequent co-host of “What’s Right, What’s Left.” The pro-life, conservative, non-compromising, King James only, Christian program, hosted by Pastor Ernie Sanders, has been airing for over 40 years and has over 6 million listeners.”

Donna Calvin

In sixth grade my teacher told us that we were going to be the first generation to see the year 2000 and all things would be different. He continued that God wasn't important, wasn't real, and our parents just used God to impose restrictions on us because they were inadequate to parent effectively. I knew then I was going to be involved in a war and that I would have to be in Jesus Christ's Army. Even then, I knew the United States of America would cease to exist without the vast majority of its citizens voluntarily submitting to the Perfect and Good Laws of the Holy Bible. I am a woman who loves the Lord Jesus Christ. I am tired of seeing our LORD denigrated from the school house to the White House. I search the Internet for items that ought to serve as a warning to Americans and Christians all through America, but the nation seems to be sleeping. Wake up America! You are losing your freedoms, your children and your country. Wake up and help stop it!